No Sleep til Hammersmith

If you have came to this post looking for Motorhead, you won't find anything but I thought it was a fitting title to describe what I encountered during yesterday's ride on what I now call the Echo Valley Loop. I was making great time, Lap 1 (My House to the Upper Gussy trail head) 2.5 miles in 9.4 minutes, during lap 2, I stopped at the Third Stream Crossing (need a better name for this) and decided to add some tiles (flat rocks) to the southern portion of the tread way after the crossing, when I heard the thunder off in the distance. I knew that it was time to start hammering home.

Probably went 200 yards when I realized I forgot to turn on the Edge! Arrgghhh, I hate when this happens! So I rode back to my starting point and started over. I know it seems pretty anal or maybe even a little CD, but I have to have a complete track. This also provided some good feedback on riding that crossing because going back through it again allowed me to critique it even more and that means it needs more work. The flat rocks, once they are dug in, will be nice. I imagine the same will be needed on the other side as well. I think that is what I am going to try and do this Saturday on my little Memorial Day Trail Maintenance session.

After the Mulligan on the third crossing I kept hammering and didn't stop. Hammered through the Double Cross, which by the way is a great armoring, climbed up to the switch back. I usually stop at the hairpin turn to catch my breath but I knew I didn't have the time. Didn't think going through the Wetspot and cleaned it. I did hit the Blue Blaze Roller (need to take out some of those little trees growing on the side of the rock face) and kept hammering! Up and over the Camel's Hump (can't wait to clear that off some more for more rolling opportunities), back and fourth through the maze and then onto the Jeep Trail. I hammered the Gussy in 20 minutes (not including the little bit trail work)!

Got onto Sanford Road when the first drops were starting to fall and flashes of lightnining were directly overhead. I must have been on the periphery of the storm because by the time I hit Hanover it was raining but not intensely. Not a minute after I pulled into my garage did the torrential downpour hit! And that's why this post is called No Sleep til Hammersmith because I did not stop at all till I got home!


From my house, round trip it's almost 6 miles and I can hammer that (even on the single speed) in less than an hour. Unfortunately, the distance if you were to park at the Echo Valley lot and do this ride is only 3.66 miles - need to work on that. Again, screwy reading on the edge. Starting elevation at Sanford Road and the Jeep Trail is around 400 feet above sea level but as you can see below the elevation profile exceeds the actual mapped heights.